Uniting Research, Policy And Practice – Where Is Educational Leadership For School Development In Finland Heading?

Author(s):

Michael Uljens(presenting / submitting)Rolf Sundqvist(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2013

Network:

26. Educational Leadership

Format:

Paper

Session Information

26 SES 05 B, How to Understand Educational Leadership

Paper Session

Time:

2013-09-11

11:00-12:30

Room:

D-307

Chair:

Gerry MacRuairc

Contribution

This paper aims at exploring two peculiarities concerning educational leadership and educational policy and practice in Finland.

First, how can we explain the modern legacy of the obviously successful educational policy and leadership in Finland? Second, what theories, principles and practices of educational leadership are currently guiding educational leadership for school development in Finland?

The assumption is that of educational leadership must be seen as a function of larger tensions, and solutions to such tensions, developed throughout history. Educational leadership is seen as a interpreting practice situated between ethics and politics and simultaneuously carried out at several interacting levels demonstrating various forms of epistemic, moral and cultural practices.

Method

In answering the first question a cultural-historical analysis is adopted. The second question is answered by describing the intentions, interventions, rationality, tensions ocurring in relation to a collaborative, large scale pedagogical leadership and school development program called “Toppkompetens”, covering some 25 Swedish speaking and bi-lingual municipalities in Finland. Attention is devoted to how the program was developed in close collaboration with several interest groups, including the National board of education, municipalities, home-and school organisation, teacher union, continuing education centres and university.

Expected Outcomes

It is demonstrated that the Finnish model of educational leadership is to be interpreted as a function of larger political and cultural tensions, and solutions to such tensions, developed throughout history. The roots of contemporary Finnish educational awareness are to be found in strong 19th century Hegelian nationalism, developed after the separation from Sweden during the Napoleonic wars and avoiding a subsequent subordination to Russia. These tensions created a strong momentum for cultural development my means of education. In essence, there has been a non-hierarchical relation between politics and education in Finland, demonstrating trust on the part of the politicians towards the education sector and a corresponding solidarity on the part of the education sector towards the state. Today, new forms of partnerships are being built upon a tradition of trust and mutual respect. Collaborations between schools, national and regional institutions and universities arise, aiming at combining the professional development of teachers and principals with research-based and knowledge based, rather than evidence based models school development. The process is about producing new programs of site-based school development supported by development-oriented educational research. In this process tensions occur when trying to come to terms with top-down policy procedures with bottom-up interests.

References

Alwesson, M. & Sveningsson, S. (2008). Changing organisational culture. London: Routledge. Johansson, O. (2011). Research on school leaders. Vetenskapsrådets rapportserie:4. Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet. Möller, J. & Ottesen, E. (2011). Rektor som leder og sjef. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Engeström, Y. (2001). Expansive learning at work: Toward an activity theorethical reconceptualisation. Journal of Education and Work 14(1), 13-156. Uljens, M. & Nyman, C. (2013). Educational leadership in Finland – or building a nation with Bildung. In Moos, L. (ed). Transnational Influences on Values and Practices in Nordic Educational Leadership – Is there a Nordic Model? Springer.

Author Information

Michael Uljens (presenting / submitting)

Åbo Akademi University, Finland

Rolf Sundqvist (presenting)